Opening the prescription of nicotine substitutes to new professions

Since the 1^er January 2016 in France, the right to prescribe nicotine substitutes was opened to new professions. If the objective of this reform is to promote the accessibility of smoking cessation, not all health professionals have received specific training on the subject.

Article 134 of the law of 26 January 2016 on the modernization of our health system authorizes the prescription of nicotine substitutes to nurses and physiotherapists. This prescription can be made independently, in the absence of any initial medical prescription.

This reform allows the role of education and health promotion held by the nurse to be enhanced. It is in accordance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which promotes the role of health workers in Article 12.

Opening up the prescription to new relay actors also makes it possible to increase access to nicotine substitutes for patients who then benefit, without going through a doctor, from the free provision of these substitutes. Indeed, Health Insurance reimburses, on prescription only, treatments with nicotine substitutes (patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler, etc.).

However, the reform does not provide training for these new actors in the fight against tobacco. Some civil society actors offer some to compensate for this lack, but no mandatory training has been set up in France.